| Edinburgh(15) 44 |
| Tries: Vellacott, Younger, Graham 2, Hoyland, Kinghorn, Dean; Pen: Bennett; Cons: Bennett 3 |
| Dragon(6) 6 |
| Pens: Hanrahan 2 |
Edinburgh recovered from a sluggish begin to demolish Dragons and mark the opening of the United Rugby Championship marketing campaign with an emphatic bonus-point win.
Tries from Ben Vellacott and Glen Younger cancelled out two early JJ Hanrahan penalties for Dragons.
After the break Darcy Graham crossed twice and Damien Hoyland, Blair Kinghorn, and Chris Dean additionally scored as Edinburgh began the season in type.
Dragons light after a stable begin.
It was a scrappy opening from Edinburgh however after Hanrahan kicked Dragons six factors in entrance, Mike Blair’s facet started to maneuver by means of the gears.
Vellacott nearly touched down from inches out earlier than second row Younger trucked his means by means of to present the hosts a six-point cushion, which Mark Bennett made 9 with a penalty earlier than half-time when Dragons’ Lloyd Fairbrother was sin-binned.
Graham ran in on the nook following a robust maul to make it 20-6 shortly after the break to place the hosts firmly in management.
And the Scotland winger scored a improbable second strive when he picked up a unfastened ball simply outdoors Dragons’ 22 and jinked his well beyond some flailing tacklers.
Even when Fairbrother returned from the bin, Edinburgh turned the screw.
Kinghorn got here off the bench and spun an excellent cross for Hoyland to dive into the nook, kicked by means of to attain himself, then broke from deep earlier than placing Dean over for Edinburgh’s seventh strive below the posts.
By the point Nick Haining was sin-binned late on, Edinburgh had eased up as they cruised to a powerful victory.
Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair: “Actually happy on the entire. It took us some time to get going, and I assumed Dragons kicked very well early on.
“Darcy [Graham] and Mark [Bennett] are two internationals that got here straight again in, they usually did as a result of they regarded so sharp in coaching.
“The half-time message was to place the strain on them on the set-piece. We speak about discovering a means, and pinpointing weaknesses.”
Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan: “It wasn’t ok. From the place we have been in pre-season, we regarded nervous within the first 20 minutes. If we’ll enhance and get higher we’ll should have some trustworthy conversations.
“We have supposed expertise in our facet. However I do not see the work fee for the time being or the need to be in the appropriate positions.”
Line-ups
Edinburgh: Henry Immelman; Darcy Graham, Mark Bennett, Chris Dean, Damien Hoyland; Charlie Savala, Ben Vellacott; Boan Venter, Dave Cherry, Angus Williams, Marshall Sykes, Glen Younger, Jamie Ritchie, Luke Crosbie, Viliame Mata
Replacements: Stuart McInally, Pierre Schoeman, WP Nel, Sam Skinner, Nick Haining, Henry Pyrgos, Blair Kinghorn, James Lang
Dragons: Angus O’Brien; Rio Dyer, Sio Tomkinson, Jack Dixon, Jared Rosser; JJ Hanrahan, Rhodri Williams; Aki Seiuli, Bradley Roberts, Lloyd Fairbrother, Ben Carter, Will Rowlands (c), Sean Lonsdale, Ben Fry, Ross Moriarty
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Josh Reynolds, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, Taine Basham, Lewis Jones, Will Reed, Jordan Williams
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
Assistant referees: David Sutherland & Michael Todd (SRU)
TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)
